Las Palomas WMA Public Use Links:
Wildlife Management Area
 

Las Palomas WMA

Phone: (956) 498-4791
Address:
154-B Lakeview Drive
Weslaco, TX 78596

Contact: Jimmy Stout

Dates Open:

The Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area (WMA) units are open year-round for daytime biking, hiking, wildlife viewing activities and public hunting activities. During public hunting activities, the WMA units are closed for other activities. To enter the WMA Units, visitors 17 years of age and older must have an Annual Public Hunting (APH) or Limited Public Use (LPU) Permit. Visit the Information Stations at the WMA units and use the kiosks to see closure dates. Visitors and Hunters must register each day when they enter and leave the WMA units using eOSR on the Texas Hunt and Fish App.

Description

The Las Palomas WMA is in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties in Texas near the Mexico border. There are 18 wildlife management area units in the WMA. The WMA units open for public use are Anacua, Arroyo Colorado, Baird, Carricitos, Chapote, Ebony, Longoria, Taormina and Tucker.

Las Palomas translates to "the Doves" in Spanish, making it a fitting name for the WMA. Its abundant food and water resources, combined with its location within the Migratory Central Flyway, create ideal habitat conditions that attract both resident and migrating birds throughout the year.

Doves and many other species travel across North America between their breeding grounds and the places where they overwinter. Las Palomas provides the perfect the high quality habitat these native and migratory bird populations depend on for resting and refueling during their journey.

Purchasing Las Palomas WMA units started in 1958. TPWD wanted to conserve and support white-winged dove nesting habitat. Most of the money to buy Las Palomas WMA units came from hunters buying white-winged dove stamps. Buying land to add to Las Palomas WMA continues to this day.

Las Palomas WMA is in the South Texas Plains ecoregion. The WMA has Tamaulipan thornscrub, grasslands, farmland and wetlands. Thornscrub once covered 1 million acres in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas and Mexico. Thornscrub is very dense short, spiky shrubs and thorny trees. The WMA works to restore the native thornscrub and stopping invasive grasses on the WMA.

In addition to hunting and conservation efforts, Las Palomas WMA fosters research opportunities for universities, non-profit organizations and other governmental agencies. Current and past research included songbird, raptor and hummingbird monitoring and banding, snake fungal disease investigations, black-spotted newt occupancy, ocelot habitat use, javelina spatial ecology study, tick, mosquito and kissing bug research and species of greatest conservation need surveys.

Terrain & ADA Access

At the WMA Longoria Unit there is an accessible trail. For more details on available ADA accommodations for visitors and hunters at the WMA, call the WMA manager at (956) 532-3009. Hunters with disabilities and their assistants can use all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and off-road vehicles (ORV) on the WMA units. A disabled parking placard or disabled vehicle license plate will qualify a hunter's disability. Use ATV or ORV on designated roads or trails only. ATVs must meet Texas Department of Public Safety off-highway vehicles safety requirements. See TPWD's Off-Highway Vehicle Program (OHV) before using ATVs on the WMA.

Please Note
  • Visitors and Hunters must register each day when they enter and leave the WMA units using eOSR on the Texas Hunt and Fish App.
  • There are no restrooms or drinking water at the WMA units.
  • Bring your own drinking water.
  • At the Anacua unit there are designated walking paths.
  • At the Longoria Unit there is a wheelchair accessible trail.
  • ATVs and ORVs are not allowed on the WMA, but hunters with disabilities may use an ATV or ORV.
  • During public drawn hunting activities, the Arroyo Colorado and Longoria WMA units are closed. Visit the Information Station kiosk at each WMA unit to see closure dates. The Information Station kiosk at the Taormina unit has information for the Baird and Chapote units as well. Or call the WMA manager for WMA details at (956) 532-3009.